I'm Still Standing!~ Book 3

Three Broomsticks!!

And all at once, thin green ink lines began to spread like a spider's web from the point that George's wand had touched. They joined each other, they crisscrossed, and fanned into every corner of the parchment; then words began to blossom across the top, great, curly green words, that proclaimed:

Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs

Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers

are proud to present

THE MARAUDER'S MAP

It was a map showing every detail of Hogwarts castle and grounds. But the truly remarkable thing was the tiny ink dots moving around it, each labelled with a name in tiny writing. Astounded, Jade and Harry bent over it. A labelled dot in the top left corner showed that Professor Dumbledore was pacing his study; the caretaker's cat, Mrs Norris, was prowling the second floor; and Peeves the Poltergeist was currently bouncing around the trophy room. And as Jade's crystal blue eyes travelled over the familiar corridors, she noticed something even more interesting. This map showed a set of passages she'd never seen. And many of them seemed to lead... "Right into Hogsmeade," said Fred, tracing one of them with his finger almost as though he'd read her mind.

"There are seven in all. Now, Filch knows about these four." he pointed them out. "But we're sure we're the only ones who know about these. Don't bother with the one behind the mirror on the fourth floor. We used it until last winter, but it's caved in... completely blocked. And we don't reckon anyone's ever used this one, because the Whomping Willow's planted right over the entrance. But this one here," He pointed. "Leads right into the cellar of Honeydukes. We've used it loads of times. And as you might've noticed, the entrance is right outside this room, through that one-eyed old crone's hump." "Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs," sighed George, patting the heading of the map. "We owe them so much."

"Noblemen, working tirelessly to help a new generation of lawbreakers," said Fred solemnly. "Right," said George briskly. "Don't forget to wipe it after you've used it..." "...or anyone can read it," Fred said warningly. "Just tap it again and say, 'Mischief managed!' And it'll go blank." "So, young Harry, Miss Evans..." said Fred, in an uncanny impersonation of Percy, "mind you behave yourselves." Jade couldn't help but laugh at him trying to sound like his brother. "See the both of you in Honeydukes," said George, winking at them. They left the room, both smirking in a satisfied sort of way. Jade watched as Harry stood there, gazing at the extraordinary map. Watching the tiny ink Mrs Norris turn left and pause to sniff at something on the floor.

'If Filch really didn't know... we wouldn't have to pass the Dementors at all...' Jade thought to herself. However, glancing back at the map, she remembered Mr Malfoy warning her about objects that could think for themselves. "If it can think for itself then it may end up betraying or killing you." This map was definitely able to think for itself. Thus, is one of those dangerous magical objects he'd had been warning against... Aids for Magical Mischief Makers... but then reasoned, she'd only join Harry in using it to get into Hogsmeade, it wasn't as though they were going to steal anything or attack anyone... and obviously, Fred and George had been using it for years without anything horrible happening. She watched as Harry traced the secret passage to Honeydukes with his finger.

Then, quite suddenly, he rolled up the map, stuffed it inside his robes, and they hurried to the door of the classroom. He opened it a couple of inches. There was no one outside. Very carefully, they edged out of the room and behind the statue of the one-eyed witch. What did he have to do? He pulled out the map again and they saw that Two new ink figures had appeared upon it, labelled 'Harry Potter' and 'Jade Evans-Black' with Black being slightly faded. These figures were standing exactly where the real Harry and Jade were standing, about halfway down the third-floor corridor, side by side. Jade watched keenly while Harry was a bit more distrustful of it. Her little Ink self appeared to be tapping the witch with her miniature wand.